With the advent of the computer numeric controlled lathe, great advances are commonplace in the machine tool industry. Yet, at least one difficulty remains. The placement of work holding jaws on the computer numeric controlled lathe is still an art. Even a skilled tool maker cannot always place the jaws thereon correctly the first time. Yet, it is a requirement that the jaws be placed correctly in an order to get a proper product.
The computer numeric controlled lathe provides for very efficient formation of products, assuming for the sake of argument, that the work holding jaws are properly placed thereon. It is not always possible to leave the same set of work holding jaws on a lathe until a project is finished.
Many times, the work holding jaws on a computer numeric controlled lathe must be changed before a project is finished. When it is desired to finish or return to that project, the jaws must be precisely repositioned on the lathe in substantially the same place as the first placement of the jaws on the lathe. If such placement cannot be obtained, the project or product will not be effectively finished. It may even be required to start a project over, if the second placement of the jaws does not substantially duplicate the first placement of the jaws on the chuck.
Many devices are known to assist with the preparation of the lathe, and in particular the attachment of the work holding jaws thereto. Unfortunately, the devices of the prior art, which assist in the mounting of the work holding jaws, tend to cause more problems than they solve.
Some of the devices are too bulky to be used efficiently. A bulky device cannot be handled easily or used effectively. Thus, the desired simplification for the jaw mounting is not achieved.
Other prior art devices require too many steps to be used efficiently. For example, the use of the device does not greatly reduce the time required to install the jaws, when the jaws are placed on the computer numeric controlled lathe by a skilled worker.
Thus, while the computer numeric controlled lathe is a great advance in the machine industry, the complexities of mounting the work holding jaws thereon mitigate against the use thereof. It is very desirable to provide a device, which may be easily attached to that machine and simply used, while thereby greatly simplifying attachment of work holding jaws to the lathe.
If such a device may be simply used and moved from machine to machine, or lathe to lathe, even an expensive jaw positioning device can be effectively used in a machine shop. Then, this device may be used on a machine until the jaws are mounted thereon and then moved to another machine. The sequence repeats itself until all machines have a desired set of jaws mounted thereon or otherwise secured thereto. However, the simple use and transfer of the device from lathe to lathe are not permitted with the jaw mounting devices of the prior art.